Chicago ties NYC for most AAA Five-Diamond restaurants

Chef de Cuisine David Posey plates a dish at Blackbird in Chicago on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011.

Chef de Cuisine David Posey plates a dish at Blackbird in Chicago on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011. (Keri Wiginton/Chicago Tribune)

Phil VettelTribune critic

The AAA Five- and Four-Diamond Awards for restaurants and hotels were announced this morning, and Chicago wound up tied with New York with the most five-diamond restaurants in North America.

All of Chicago's Five-Diamond restaurants or hotels were repeat winners: Alinea received the Five-Diamond distinction for the sixth straight year, and Charlie Trotter's won for the 18th straight year. Other winners were Arun's (10 years), Everest (16 years) and Tru (12 years).